Biography

07/17/1845 - 05/11/1908

James Wilson Lee (R48) Venango and Warren Counties 1879-1886

Early Life: 

James Wilson Lee, born July 17, 1845, Sharon, Mercer County, Pennsylvania; son of Silas and Jane Holmes Lee; public school education; Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania,1863-1864; Allegheny College, Meadville, 1864; admitted, bar, 1869; attorney at law; Franklin City Council, 1871; mayor of Franklin, 1875; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1879-1886; married, Laura M. Kinnear (d.1880), no children, married, Miss Clara Virginia Kauffman, 1883, children, Francis W. Lee, Virginia Lee Galbraith; died, May 11, 1908 (aged 62) arteriosclerosis, diabetes, interstitial nephritis, and thrombosis of coronary arteries, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; interment Franklin Cemetery, Franklin, Venango County, Pennsylvania.  

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Republican, member, Franklin City Council, 1871-1872. 

Elected, Republican, mayor of Franklin, 1875. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 48th district, Venango and Warren Counties, 1879-1886, committee assignments, Appropriations, Constitutional Reform, Judiciary Apportionment, New Counties and County Seats, Judiciary (Special). 

Legacy: 

Wife, Clara Virginia Kauffman, daughter, Christian Shuman Kauffman, Pennsylvania State Senate, 14th district, Lancaster (Part) County, 1879-1882.

Christian Shuman Kauffman  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Brother-in-law, Christian Charles Kauffman, 14th district, Pennsylvania State Senate, Lancaster County, 1895-1898. 

Christian Charles Kauffman  - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "L"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1883). Smull, W.P., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 765, 770-772, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 732.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1885). Smull, W.P., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 844, 849-851, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 810-811.

The Derrick, Thursday, May 12, 1908.

History of Venango County, Pennsylvania: its past and present, including its aboriginal history, the French and British occupation of the country, its early settlement and subsequent growth, a description of its historic and interesting localities, its rich oil deposits and their development, sketches of its cities, boroughs, townships, and villages, neighborhood and family history, portraits and biographies of pioneers and representative citizens, statistics, etc., etc. Chicago, Illinois: Brown, Runk and Company, 1890, pages 809-810.

James Wilson Lee (1845-1908) - Find a Grave Memorial